2018 DIF PERFORMERS

Get to know your #DIF8 performers!

2-Man No-Show (Los Angeles, CA & Toronto, ON)The absurd and unpredictable Canadian tag-team improv duo of Isaac Kessler and Ken Hall take you on a bizarre ride of undefinably funny comedy.Tired of talking heads? So are we. Using their charismatic charm, manic delivery, and balls to the walls physicality, 2-MAN NO-SHOW creates a whimsical and fantastical world of heart-felt characters connecting in genuine and hilariously unexpected ways.

The Lusty Mannequins (Toronto, ON)Alastair Forbes, Ashley Comeau and Connor Thompson are the mannequins. Karen Parker is the lustiest.These four performers are all Second City Alumni and combined they have over 50 years of improv experience, have been nominated for Canadian Comedy Awards, Dora Awards, have performed with John Cleese, Colin Mochrie & Deb McGrath, Martin Short, Kids in the Hall and many more!This lot have been performing sketch and improv together since 2008. They tour and teach all across North America and Europe and Africa.

Off Book - The Improvised Musical (Los Angeles, CA)Every week Jessica McKenna and Zach Reino sit down with a fantastic guest and record a completely improvised musical in an attempt to combat the notion that musicals should be "carefully crafted" or "thought out at all." This time they are doing it live! Accompanied by the incomparable Scott Passarella on the keys and produced by Earwolf. ​

SPONTANEANATION (Los Angeles, CA)SPONTANEANATION WITH PAUL F. TOMPKINS is a completely improvised show, from monologue to interview to narrative sketch. Join Paul, his special guests, his incredibly talented improviser friends, and accompanist Eban Schletter for an hour of comedy that none of them ever see coming.

ABC Family Presents (Ferndale, MI)An improvised ABC Family drama.

Amanda and Emily (Orlando, FL)Improv duo Amanda Wirtz and Emily Fontano are real life best friends and improvisers. They are known to talk loudly, often and overshare with their audience - no topic is off limits. Join them and your fellow audience members on a musical trip of self discovery, forgiveness and absolute hilarity inspired by conversations with the crowd!

Baby Leroy (Ferndale, MI)Baby LeRoy is a Metro Detroit-based improv team comprised of Steve Forbes, Jen Hansen, Pete Jacokes, and Chris Petersen. They won the first annual Bailout Improv Tournament Spectacular (BITS) held at Go Comedy! Improv Theater in Ferndale, where they are regular performers. Baby LeRoy was also invited to the 2011 Chicago Improv Festival. Individually, they have many years' experience acting, improvising, writing, and teaching at Second City, Planet Ant Theater, and the Ringwald Theatre among others. In addition, Forbes, Hansen, and Petersen were all writers and performers in The Night of Things Occurring, a sketch review directed by Jacokes.

Big Baby (Philadelphia, PA)Big Baby is a former Philly Improv Theater House Team! Formed in 2013, Big Baby performs the Bunker - a form of the monoscene in which all players are on stage and in the scene at all times, no exits - no edits. The team asks for a one-word suggestion from the audience and then creates a world where anything can happen. The world begins in a seemingly rational place and evolves into a relationship-heavy, drama-filled, resolution-surprise set! The team also enjoys the finer things in life, like extended nap time and being cooed at by strangers.

Cash & Carry (Ferndale, MI)Cash & Carry are a musical duo from Ferndale, MI. Members RJ Cach and Cari Sue Murphy have been performing together since 2015 and decided to form this duo in Spring 2016, in hopes of bringing more musical improv to the Motor City & to have an outlet for their constant impulse to sing! Together they explore all the songs that might be found at a particular Location, suggested by the audience. Directed and accompanied by Jeremy St. Martin whose vast musical experience takes the show to a whole new level, his piano melodies have been known to make people weak in the knees. Cash and Carry pride themselves on being equal parts goofy and heartfelt, and have never turned down the opportunity for a dance break.

Character Fondue (Ferndale, MI)A whole new world is explored and brought to life when these performers share the stage as individually created and fully costumed characters.

Dubalicious (Detroit, MI)Dubalicious combines the thrill of long form improv with hilarity of partner dubbing. This two-lady troupe, founded by Lauren Bickers and Cara Trautman in 2006, has performed at several venues including The Planet Ant Theater, Improv Inferno and probably Go Comedy! Improv. Lauren Bickers and Cara Trautman met during their first improv class in 2001 and since have been active improvisors known for being somewhat weird, but also very cool. Their unique style of improv reflects their odd outlook on life. Audiences agree that Dubalicious is a fan favorite, sure to please any comedy crowd.

Empanada Grande (Grand Blanc/Grand Rapids, MI)Quintin Hicks and Sammy Publes met over 10 years ago, on set for a commercial, for a now defunct cellular carrier. They became fast friends that soon traveled the contiguous US, providing humor and characters of substance. They soon were able to know what the other was thinking, on stage, in life, and especially while rooming together in hotels whilst on the road... Things like, diets high in fiber, make for disturbing sleep...

Ensemble Troupe (Los Angeles, Montreal, Orlando, Detroit, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Orange County)Join improvisors from all over North America who met and were coached all in one DIF weekend!

Fake Cops (Toronto, Canada)Proudly hailing from Toronto Canada, FAKE COPS is a troupe known for playing a balance between intelligent and absurd scenes. Performing an original form that involves drawing inspiration from the preceding scene to create a butterfly style of cause-and-effect that connects each scene together while establishing a common theme. Fake Cops has established a local following within Toronto thanks to their outlandish theatre-packing productions such as the alternative comedy showcase “The Disaster” and an improvised battle arena “The Thunderdome.” In 2015, FAKE COPS won the “Emerging Ensemble” award under the Tony & Pat Adams Freedom Fund for the Arts presented by Bad Dog Theatre. This award supported the creation of their new improvised show entitled "Fake Cops Presents: A Fantastic Journey....at all costs" which was directed by Second City Mainstage alumni Kirsten Rasmussen.. Having performed at festivals in Toronto, New York, Chicago, Montreal, Detroit and Ottawa, the well-traveled troupe prides itself on its multi-talented cast with backgrounds in writing, acting, music, stand-up, sketch, athletes, directing and poetry - all of which are brought to the stage. Also we're buds and we like hanging out and doing 'bits.'

Filbert (Portland, OR)Filbert is one of the mainstage teams at Curious Comedy. Known for their joy and playfulness on stage, they excel at the classic improv form, The Harold.

Forever Fifteen (Detroit, MI)Forever Fifteen is an improv duo featuring Joe Hingelberg & Travis Pelto of Ferndale, MI. The two have been improvising together since the age of 15, and were lucky enough to have a high school improv club where they met. Both have been improvising, writing, and performing together and separately since then. Their improv sets are a reflection of this history: fast paced scenes, big, dynamic characters and high energy sets are the norm between the two.

Four First Names (Orlando, FL) Richard Paul and Chris Barry combine to make up Four First Names. They are both veterans of SAK Comedy Lab in Orlando, Florida. Four First Names performs a long form duo set with a variety of forms ranging from Close Quarters to a Mono-Scene and an audience vote dictates what form their show will take for each performance. Richard Paul has been an improviser, actor and instructor for more than 20 years at SAK Comedy Lab, Walt Disney World, Offsides Improv and is the founder of Unity in Playback Theater, Orlando's first Playback Theater troupe. His film acting credits include Keeping Up with the Joneses (2016) and GeoStorm (2017). Chris Barry is an actor and host at SAK Comedy Lab, The Random Processes, and Unity in Playback Theater. The pair met when Chris was a student in Richard's class at SAK University.

The Gay Agenda (Detroit, MI)The Gay Agenda plays with a form they created, The Queer Ass, inspired by the WeirDass. On July 22 we won Planet Ant's Colony Fest 2017!

Hardy Boys (San Diego, CA)The Hardy Boys come together every week to solve a good ole fashion mystery! Better yet they do it musically!

History Made Up (Des Moines, IA)History Made Up is the Informative, Improvised Podcast. Traveling all over America, the host Will Frazier gathers local stories from history then finds local improvisers to make up scenes based on those stories. Local History. Local Performers.

Horror of Terror (Chicago, IL)Do you sometimes find yourself wanting to scare your friends and loved ones? Do you lurk around dark corners waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike? Are you just hoping and praying to get the adrenaline rush from making somebody scream? Well wait no more, Horror of Terror can help you get that scare fix! We are Chicago's only completely improvised horror/comedy group. Our show is filled with side splitting, hair raising thrills that might literally take your breath away.. We mix and match all of the sub genres of horror from backwoods and fanaticism to slasher and psychological thriller to make a uniquely terrifying comedy that will leave you begging for more.

Hugs and Pullups (Chicago, IL)Hugs and Pullups is a Chicago-based comedy troupe that has been performing together since March 2009. Hugs and Pullups brings to life bold characters, grounded relationships, and an unapologetic palette of an often twisted reality.

HugSquared (Ferndale, MI) HugSquared is a group of people that truly love each other and you can tell when they hit the stage. Always making it a point to meditate before going on stage.. SHHH that's a troupe secret! Sometimes they will open their show giving special hugs to the audience and end it with a big group hug onstage to get ready. Everyone in the troupe has had years of training and performing all over the Detroit and Chicago area.

Jibber Jabbar (Chicago, IL)Jibber Jabbar are a house team with The Assembly, a Toronto-based theatre company. This group of vagrants love to goof on each other. Jibber Jabbar has performed at the Detroit Improv Festival, Del Close Marathon, Big City Improv Festival, and the Toronto Haroldfest.

Juliet & Juliet (Minneapolis, MN)An improv duo from Minneapolis, MN, Juliet & Juliet perform improvise eloquent, oddball, feminist Shakespeare. They love language. They love murdering one another. They definitely love empowering female characters more than Will did. While much shorter than Shakespeare's original works, everything from comedies to tragedies to the occasional history play is within their scope. Kings will be fools, fools will fall in love, lovers will die - and women will get what they want. Juliet & Juliet have performed at HUGE Theater and as guests of Duofest (PA), the Improvised Play Festival (TX), the Twin Cities Improv Festival (MN), Stumptown Improv Festival (OR), Mprov (Montreal), and the Ocean State Improv Festival (RI).

Lady Jay (New York, NY)The four women of Lady Jay aren't just improv teammates. They're also best friends. Why are we mentioning that? Because their love for each other shines through on stage as they create emotionally-committed worlds where freaks reign supreme. And because we think it's pretty dang cute!! Come hang out with us, it'll be fun.

The League of Pointless Improvisers (Ann Arbor, MI) Formed in 2015, the League of Pointless Improvisers perform at the Pointless Brewery & Theatre in Ann Arbor, MI. The rotating cast of 22 is made up of the finest improvisers in SE Michigan and is directed by owner Jason Tomalia and Gary Lehman along with co-director Bob Wieck. They perform character and relationship driven Long Form improv and experiment each month with a different form as part of the Friday late show "A Pointless Display of Improvised Feats". The League of Pointless Improvisers has been invited to perform at the Baltimore Improv Festival, Detroit Improv Festival, Pittsburgh Comedy Festival, IFCincy, Grand Rapids Improv Festival and Kalamazoo Improv Festival.

Listen, Stupid (Ferndale, MI) Listen, Stupid hails from the mean streets of Detroit. Well, really the nicely paved streets of the suburbs, but they still bring the city's hustle and honesty to every show they do. Nuverre Naami and Tom Novik have been performing together since 2013, playing various shows, events, and festivals, and at a variety of venues and theaters. This duo loves to play all kinds of characters, using a montage of scenes to patiently explore and connect everyday relationships and encounters. ​

Local Spot (Baltimore, MD)Formed in 2015, Local Spot is made up of a mixture of new and old members of the Baltimore improv scene. This troupe of improvisors primarily performs the monoscenes in shows and festivals but loves to create new formats and concepts for special shows and events. Former projects consist of creating and debuting an improvised Old Timey Radio drama called Radio as well as an improvised murder mystery show called Gumshoe. Local Spot loves to produce explosive shows which force performers to make big decisions and deal with their aftermath without escaping in a swipe. Local Spot anchors a regular Sunday show with the Baltimore Improv Group in addition to performing at other venues such as performances with PHIT and WIT. In 2015, Local Spot performed at the Philadelphia Improv Festival.

MARS (Detroit, MI)MARS is a two man longform show featuring best friends and Second City Detroit alumni Margaret Edwartowski and Mark Sobolewski. This character driven show is the perfect blend of totally made up hilarity and two pals calling real truths out on stage.

Merit Badge (Chicago, IL)Merit Badge is a longford duo from Chicago, IL comprised of a Boy and Girl Scout who got older but didn't grow up. From a suggestion of a merit badge that doesn't yet exist, they perform a lively collage of characters from all walks of life. Merit Badge is Christopher George and Laurel Posakony.

My Momma's Biscuits (New York, NY)NYC's most LIT improv team, everyMy Momma's Biscuitsshow is a party and you're invited! Watch MMB sing, dance and act a fool in a performance you will never forget. They've performed at 2nd Best Comedy Fest, Hell Yes Fest, Black and Funny Improv Festival, Del Close Marathon, and more. They are Magnet Theatre's Inspirado champions, Dancify That winners, and conquerors of Hell Yes Fest's Pizza eating contest.They are buttery and yummy. They are oozing with sweet melanin. They are a little tough on the outside, but soft and flaky on the inside. They are about to burst fresh out of the oven. They areMY MOMMA'S BISCUITS!

My Neighbors Are Dead (Chicago, IL)Join host Adam Peacock as he talks to the lesser known characters from your favorite horror films. Each week is an all new, fully improvised journey into the unknown featuring friends and luminaries from the worlds of comedy, horror, and beyond. The A.V. Club calls My Neighbors Are Dead "Comedic Gold," Dread Central says it's "The Best Horror Podcast You’re Not Listening To," and Rue Morgue says the show is "Exactly the comedic palate cleanser we need heading into 2018."

Natural Born Killaz (Detroit, MI)NBK is a Detroit-based duo that formed in 2014. Jaclynn Cherry and Mike Smith perform regularly at Go! Comedy Improv Theatre (Ferndale, MI), Pointless Brewery and Theatre (Ann Arbor, MI), and Planet Ant Theatre (Hamtramck, MI), where they won the 2016 Colony Fest competition. They also co-wrote and starred in the original sketch show "The Fall" as part of Planet Ant's 2016/17 season. Jaclynn and Mike are also both producers of the Detroit Improv Festival. Contrary to their ridiculous name, the duo focuses on grounded scene work, playing with honesty and vulnerability.

The Nice Guys (Toronto, ON)Based on their hit podcast "That's How I Remember It", come see Mike, Raul, John and Sharjil as they take an audience suggested movie and turn it into a fully improvised radio play! They'll ruin your favourite movie in the way only The Nice Guys can!

OTRimprov (Cincinnati, OH)OTRimprov (OTRi) began in 2010 as a collection of wayward improvisers looking for like-minded performers and a place to play in Cincinnati. After headlining numerous shows for the Little Big Night comedy performances at Know Theatre of Cincinnati (as “Off the Rocks Improv,”) they formed their own partnership with Know Theatre’s Jackson Street Market, a resource sharing program for fledgling companies, and began producing shows independently. This continued partnership allows them to call Know’s Underground space on Jackson St. in Over-the-Rhine home for a majority of OTRi performances.

Pennyworth (Chicago, IL)Their original name was going to be "It costs more money to make a penny than a penny is worth," but for the sake of the host they shortened it to "Pennyworth". Pennyworth consists of Cole Schlesinger and John Randall. Cole and John are both stand up comedians turned improvisers who enjoy a good fart joke just as much as a heavy breakup scene. They get a one word suggestion from the audience that inspires their form for the night. They began performing improv as a duo in 2016. Their comfortability with each other and willingness to challenge one another makes their scene-work worth watching. Cole and John perform improvised and sketched comedy as a duo all around Chicago as well as produce their own short films.

Pepperoni Pizza Cats (Toronto, Canada)One part satiable meal one part wild animal the Pepperoni Pizza Cats are a pack of improvisers who fearlessly push the bounds of form from the depths of your deepest nightmare to the great heights of Nietzsche’s infinite possibility and cover all the grounded ground in between. Will they be wearing pants? Will marry, divorce and then marry each other again? Can you bend time into a racoon, a bear or Joe’s third grade teacher? Only one thing is certain, no one knows their lines. This troupe of rock and roll pizza lovers are a contained explosion, rumour has it they’re all hopped up on group mind.

Planet Ant Home Team (Hamtramck, MI)The Planet Ant Improv Colony Home Team is our resident group of improvisers that performs every week as part of our Monday night show. Comprised of some of Metro-Detroit's best comedic performers, the Home Team is a tradition almost as old as the theater itself. It's roots began over a decade ago with a half a dozen original players, but over the years the troupe has grown to include over thirty members.

Plant Parenthood (Grand Rapids, MI)Plant Parenthood came together in 2015 after its founding members met at Dog Story Theater. They have since become regular performers at Comedy Outlet Mondays. Members have trained at Detroit's Go Comedy and Chicago's iO Theater. PP performs long form improv, produces videos, and runs a popular meme page. No two shows are ever the same with this heart wrenching, reality bending group of comedy heroes!

Presto Change-O (Ferndale, MI)Presto Change-O is a troupe dedicated to the 'magic' of improv. Members Chris DiAngelo, Erik Heilner, Tim Kay, Matt Naas, and James Quesada started the troupe with the common interest of doing long form improv that fostered the ability to follow every instinct and challenge one another to think and act fast. Their shows are marked by quick start scenes and big characters that blend into each other like wildfire. Initiated in spring of 2013, Presto Change-O is currently a featured House Team at Go Comedy! Improv Theater in Ferndale Michigan.

Pretty Daddy (Detroit, MI)Mitch Socia and Jennifer Bloomer are improvisors from Detroit, MI. When they started performing as a duo, they wanted to create a show that was both accessible and unique. Influenced by the movie Bad Boys 2, they decided to combine the "buddy cop" dynamic, with improvised scenes. The suggestion from the audience is a unique or interesting location. From there we see the cops, and their everyday lives and discussions. From there scenes are improvised based on the conversation topics.

Pretty Much Sisters (Atlanta, GA) Pretty Much Sisters is an all-lady long form improv team from Atlanta, GA. Founded in 2014, the team performs around the city at Harold Nights and variety shows. The team has quickly become known for their interesting invocation -- a modified La Ronde set in a location inspired by the audience suggestion. Pretty Much Sisters plays out of the Village Theatre and is coached by veteran performer Cassidy Russell. The team has performed in the Detroit Improv Festival, the Hollywood Improv Festival, Third Coast Improv Fest, Atlanta Improv Fest Cage Match, Ladylike Variety Show, Power Suit, and other rad shows hosted by fun people. Their goal is bring lady improv goodness to all corners of the country and beyond!

PUMPS (Los Angeles, CA)We are Pumps; a fierce, female improv team hailing from Los Angeles, CA. Currently hosting a weekly hour slot on the iO West Main Stage, we’ve had the pleasure of supporting some of the finest indie teams across Los Angeles, and with our killer marketing strategy we know how to deliver when it comes to audiences. Having traveled across California for different festivals and playing around Los Angeles at different theaters, we love supporting women in comedy and pride ourselves on intelligent, inventive and fashion forward improv that elevates. We aim to inspire all teams to do what they love, like we do, and go hard for their goals in the community and in life.

Quicksand (New York, NY) James and Julia are an onstage and offstage duo who love to laugh and play.

Reclassify Pluto (Ferndale, MI) Reclassify Pluto is a high energy, character driven, long-form improv troupe based out of Go Comedy, in Ferndale, MI. The troupe hit the ground running in the fall of 2014 and hasn't looked back. They were chosen by the Planet Ant Theatre's Home Team as the 2015 Colony Fest winners, which is kind of a big deal. Reclassify Pluto is made up of accomplished individuals that truly love each other's company, which is like totally apparent on stage. Together Reclassify Pluto wrote, and starred in, the original comedy Desperate Renters, which had a three-weekend sell-out run at the Planet Ant Theatre in Hamtramck, MI. The play was featured in the Detroit News, and reviewed by Encore Michigan.

Roach Koach Podcast (Detroit, MI) Come along with hosts and local Detroit improvisers Jennifer Bloomer, Lorin Kozlowski, and Matt Naas as they defend the much maligned Nu-Metal genre of music and attempt to rescue it from the trash heap of the past by creating a Nu-Metal Canon, representing the best this misbegotten era of music has to offer.Check out a new episode every Wednesday where a different album is discussed, debated, sometimes praised, occasionally mocked, and ultimately judged on it’s merits of Nu-Metal Excellence. If you love pop culture deep dives, characters improvised on the spot, and discussions of internet comment sections, this is the show for you.

Sad Trombone (Philadelphia, PA) Hailing from the City of Brotherly Love, Sad Trombone is the brotherly lovechild of Steve Kleinedler and Ralph Andracchio. These two veteran improvisers have performed all over the US and enjoy digging deep into the nooks and crannies of relationship muffins to find all the buttery goodness. Give them your disappointing personal stories, and they'll give you a show that patiently explores what made it so disappointing in the first place through interesting characters and engaging relationships.

Snooze Button (Kansas City, MO) Snooze Button is the improv duo of longtime friends Andy Perkins and Joshua Gleeson. With their extensive theatrical backgrounds, they bring fun unique characters to the stage. Big fans of making new friends, they love interviewing audience members and inviting them to play along. Snooze Button has performed in multiple venues around Kansas City, MO as well as the Crossroads Comedy Festival in Indianapolis, the Chicago Improv Festival, Detroit Improv Festival, and the Kansas City Improv Festival.

Thursday Interns (Ferndale, MI)Doug and Janelle met while interning every Thursday at Go Comedy in Ferndale, Michigan. They then performed together in the GC house Team 'Future Kids' before creating the duo 'Thursday Interns'. In 2017 they were awarded Female improvisor of the year and Male improvisor of the year at the same theater where they once scrubbed the floors. Do not miss this duo, they're a real Cinderella Story.

Two Sketchy Dames (Cincinnatti, OH)Eileen and Alison met through OTRimprov in Cincinnati and their friendship was cemented by their mutual love of vintage fashion. Theatre nerds from way back, the two found instant common ground and chemistry. When the world started going to hell in a handbasket, they decided that two things would get them through: wine and comedy. Then, after a lot of wine and a lot of comedy, they started writing down that comedy. But, then they had more wine and lost the three pens they had in their pockets, so it was back to spontaneous comedy. And thus, Two Sketchy Dames was born. Their show is a short form/sketch comedy mash up that is fierce and funny.Let's call it: La MOD. As in, Ladies Making Outstanding Decisions. Plus, they dress to the nines.

Yo, Is This Racist? (Los Angeles, CA)Yo, Is This Racist?, hosted by Andrew Ti, creator of the popular blog of the same name, is now a weekly podcast! Every Wednesday, Ti, co-host Tawny Newsome, and their guests answer questions from fan-submitted voicemails and emails about whether or not something is, in fact, racist.